The present invention relates to a gene encoding a protein having a helicase activity, a protein encoded by the gene, a method for producing the protein, and use of the gene and the protein.
DNA helicases are important enzymes that act on various biological reactions involving DNA in living bodies or microbial cells, and there are a number of types of DNA helicases.
The occurrence of a wide variety of DNA helicases is clearly demonsrated by the fact that the reactions involving DNA include a variety of reactions, such as replication and proliferation of cells, development and growth of an individual, and sustainment of life. As the recognized biochemical reactions occurring at the cellular level, there are assumed at least five reactions including replication, repairing, transcription, segregation and recombination of DNAs. DNA helicases are generally known to act to unwind a duplex DNA into single-stranded forms, and the energy required to such an action is considered to be provided by the hydrolysis of ATPs.
Among many types of DNA helicases, RecQ-type DNA helicases have recently been found, which individually have a helicase domain with at least about 40% homology to the helicase domain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) recQ gene at the amino acid level. The RecQ-type helicases have been focused on due to their involvement in various diseases and aging of humans. For example, Bloom""s syndrome is a disease frequently inducible various cancers in younger age, and Werner""s syndrome is a genetic disease inducible premature aging and abnormal cancer. It has recently been found that these syndromes are caused by mutation of different genes respectively encoding different human RecQ-type DNA helicases (Cell, 83, pp.655-666, 1995; and Science, 272, pp.258-262, 1996).
A RecQ-type helicase was originally found in E. coli by Nakayama et al. (Mol. Gen. Genet., 195, pp.474-480, 1984). Two kinds of genes encoding proteins having high homology to the helicase have been found in an yeast cell and a human cancer cell, which were designated sgsl (Gangloff et at., Mol. Cell. Biol. 14, pp.8391-8398, 1994) and RecQ1 (Seki et al., Nuc. Acids Res., 22, pp.4566-4573, 1994), respectively.
Known helicases belonging to this family are, in uni-cellular organisms such as E. coli and yeast, only the above-mentioned E. coli RecQ helicase and sgs1; and in multi-cellular organisms (i.e., human), Bloom DNA helicase (Ellis et al, Cell, 83, pp.655-666, 1995) and Werner DNA helicase (Yu et al., Science, 272, pp.258-262, 1996) both responsible for the above-mentioned diseases, and RecQ1 helicase whose involvement in diseases is as yet unknown.
The object of the present invention is to provide a human RecQ4 DNA helicase gene, a protein encoded by the gene, a method for producing the protein, and use of the protein and the gene.
The present inventors assumed if there would be many RecQ family of DNA helicases other than the above three kinds in human. The inventors also assumed that, when genes of such helicases underwent mutation, the genes might induce various diseases as observed in Bloom""s syndrome and Werner""s syndrome and even be causative genes for refractory diseases of which etiologies have been undetermined yet. The inventors have made intensive and extensive studies for solving the above-mentioned problems. As a result, the inventors have succeeded in the cloning of a novel human RecQ4 DNA helicase gene by so-called RACE method. This success led to the achievement of the invention.
That is, the present invention provides a gene encoding:
(a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; or
(b) a protein having deletion, substitution or addition of at least one amino acid residue in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, which has a helicase activity.
The present invention further provides a gene comprising:
(c) DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; or
(d) DNA hybridizing to the DNA comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 under stringent conditions, which encodes a protein having a helicase activity.
The present invention further provides an oligonuleotide probe hybridizing to at least a portion of the gene.
The present invention further provides a recombinant vector containing the gene.
The present invention further provides a transformant containing the recombinant vector.
The present invention further provides a method for producing a protein having a helicase activity, comprising culturing the transformant and then collecting the protein from the resultant culture.
The present invention further provides a recombinant protein of:
(a) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; or
(b) a protein having deletion, substitution or addition of at least one amino acid residue in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, which has a helicase activity.
The present invention further provides a mouse- or rat-derived protein having a helicase activity, comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% homology to the amino acid sequence of the protein; and a mouse- or rat-derived gene encoding the protein.
The present invention further provides a method for producing a protein having a helicase activity, comprising culturing the transformant and then collecting the protein from the resultant culture.
The present invention further provides a monoclonal or polyclonal antibody specifically reacting with the protein.
The present invention further provides a hybridoma producing the monoclonal antibody, which is prepared by cell fusion of an antibody-producing cell immunized with the protein with a myeloma cell.
The present invention further provides a reagent for detecting a gene encoding helicase, comprising the oligonucleotide probe.
The present invention further provides a kit for diagnosing a disease caused by the genetic abnormality of a gene encoding a protein with a helicase activity, the kit comprising the protein and the monoclonal antibody and/or the polyclonal antibody.
The present invention further provides a transgenic animal having the gene introduced therein in the modified form, the modification being made such that the expression level of the gene is increased or decreased; and a knockout mouse in which the function of the gene has been treated to be lost.
Hereinafter, the present invention is described in detail.
The gene according to the present invention encodes a novel human RecQ4 DNA helicase, and encodes a protein which comprises an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or a protein which comprises an amino acid sequence having deletion, substitution or addition of at least one amino acid residue in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 and has a helicase activity.
The protein according to the present invention contains seven helicase motifs of the known RecQ-type DNA helicase, which are well-conserved between E. coli, yeast and human at the amino acid level, as shown in FIG. 2. As is clearly demonstrated by the results of the radiation hybrid mapping shown in FIG. 3, it is confirmed that the human RecQ-type DNA helicase gene of the present invention is located on the long arm of human chromosome 8, 8q24.3, as shown in FIG. 4. Genes derived from other species which correspond to the human-derived gene of the present invention can also be cloned by known techniques.
From the results of the multi-tissue northern blot analysis for determining the expression level of the gene of the present invention in different organs (see FIG. 5), it is found that the expression of the gene is observed in all of the tissues examined, and a remarkably intensive expression is particularly observed in thymus and testis.
These results strongly suggest that the gene of the present invention is one of the genes responsible for the maintenance of the fundamental homeostasis of living bodies. Accordingly, the gene is useful for studying on the relation with development and aging of individuals. The elucidation of the expression control of the gene is also useful in the elucidation of the mechanism for maintaining the fundamental homeostasis of living bodies, as well as in the development of novel pharmaceuticals for maintaining the fundamental homeostasis for life.
The gene of the present invention can be identified and obtained by the following procedures, for example.
1. Cloning of Human RecQ-type DNA Helicase Gene
The gene of the present invention (hereinafter, also referred to as xe2x80x9chuman RecQ4 genexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9chuman RecQ-type DNA helicase genexe2x80x9d) can be produced by performing RACE method (Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends; Frohman, M. A. et al., Methods Enzymol. Vol. 218, pp.340-358, 1993) based on the combination of the principles of Long-distance (LD) PCR method and Suppression PCR method.
That is, a DNA fragment comprising a partial sequence of the known human RecQ-type DNA helicase gene and DNA fragments of unknown sequences respectively having the 5xe2x80x2 and 3xe2x80x2 termini are amplified separately and then linked together, thereby giving the human RecQ-type DNA helicase gene of the present invention in the form of a full-length cDNA. In the present invention, the full-length cDNA may be cloned by, for example, using a commercially available kit such as Marathon(trademark) cDNA Amplification Kit produced by CLONTECH.
At first, a DNA fragment comprising the human-derived known sequence is amplified. The known sequence may be prepared from poly(A)+RNA derived from a human tissue or organ, such as poly(A)+RNA derived from human testis or spleen. The RNA is treated with reverse transcriptase to synthesize cDNA, which is then subjected to RT-PCR to prepare a partial cDNA fragment [FIG. 1 (1)]. The partial cDNA fragment is sequenced. Based on the determined sequence, four kinds of gene-specific primers (GSPs) are designed, which are designated xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x2GSP1xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x2GSP2xe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x2GSP1xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x2GSP2xe2x80x9d, respectively. These GSPs are required for the amplification of DNA fragments of unknown sequences to be located upstream to the 5xe2x80x2 region and downstream to the 3xe2x80x2 region of the partial cDNA sequence, respectively. The GSPs have nucleotide sequences suitably selected among the sequence of the partial cDNA, and may be synthesized chemically. In the present invention, the GSPs used for the amplification of the fragment of unknown sequence to be located upstream to the 5xe2x80x2 region of the partial cDNA are xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x2GSP1xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x2GSP2xe2x80x9d, and those used for the amplification of the fragment of unknown sequence to be located downstream to the 3xe2x80x2 region of the partial cDNA are xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x2GSP1xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x2GSP2xe2x80x9d, as shown in a open box of FIG. 1(1).
Next, the DNA fragments to be located upstream to the 5xe2x80x2 region and downstream to the 3xe2x80x2 region of the partial cDNA are separately amplified [FIG. 1 (2)]. As templates for the amplification, commercially available cDNAs derived from human testis, spleen or the like may be used, such as cDNA Ready(trademark) made by CLONTECH. Although the sequences of the template DNA fragments are unknown, each of them has an adapter sequence attached to the terminus. Amplification reaction (LD PCR) of the cDNA fragments of unknown sequences having adapter sequences attached was separately performed two rounds using primers hybridizing to the adapter sequences (hereinafter, simply referred to as xe2x80x9cadapter primers (APs)xe2x80x9d) and the GSPs as primers (FIG. 1(2)). For example, the 5xe2x80x2 unknown sequence may be amplified by performing the first PCR using AP1 and 5xe2x80x2GSP1, and then performing the second PCR using the fragment produced by the first PCR as a template and primers (AP2 and 5xe2x80x2GSP2) hybridizing to the inner regions relative to the regions for AP1 and 5xe2x80x2GSP1, respectively (i.e., nested PCR). The 3xe2x80x2 unknown sequence can also be amplified in the same manner as for the 5xe2x80x2 unknown sequence using 3xe2x80x2GSP1 and 3xe2x80x2GSP2.
In the present invention, the DNA fragment to be located upstream to the known fragment is referred to as a xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x2-RACE productxe2x80x9d, and the DNA fragment to be located downstream to the known fragment is referred to as a xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x2-RACE productxe2x80x9d. Since each AP has the same sequence as the protrusion sequence of the corresponding adapter, it cannot anneal to the adapter and the extension reaction in the first amplification only starts from the gene-specific primer (GSP) (this is called xe2x80x9cSuppression PCRxe2x80x9d).
The nucleotide sequence of the resultant cDNA may be determined by a PCR-based method as described by Hattori et al. (Electrophoresis 13, pp.560-565, 1992). That is, the reaction is performed using PRISM sequencing kit including a fluorescent dye deoxyterminetor produced by Perkin Elmer, the nucleotide sequence is read out using an autosequencer manufactured by Applied Biosystem (Model ABI 373) and the data is analyzed by the computer (e.g., Macintosh computer) attached to the autosequencer.
The nucleotide sequences of the known partial DNA sequence, the 5xe2x80x2-RACE product and the 3xe2x80x2-RACE product are assembled together, thereby giving a nucleotide sequence of a full-length cDNA. That is, the overlapped portions between the sequences are linked to give a nucleotide sequence having the 5xe2x80x2 and 3xe2x80x2 terminal regions (FIG. 1).
The nucleotide sequence of the gene of the present invention and the amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by the gene are shown in SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 2, respectively. However, the gene or protein may have mutation such as deletion, substitution, addition or insertion in the nucleotide or amino acid sequence, provided that the protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 exerts a helicase activity. For example, the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 may have deletion of at least one, preferably 1-10, more preferably 1-5 of amino acid residues, addition of at least one, preferably 1-10, more preferably 1-5 of amino acid residues, or substitution of at least one, preferably 1-10, more preferably 1-5 of amino acid residues by other amino acid residues. Accordingly, a protein having deletion of the first methionine (Met) in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 is also encompassed in the proteins having these amino acid alternations of the present invention. In addition to the nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acids contained in the protein of the present invention, the gene of the present invention also encompasses a degenerate variant of the gene encoding the same protein which is only different at a degenerated genetic codon.
In addition to the gene comprising DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, the gene of the present invention also encompasses a gene comprising DNA hybridizing to such DNA under stringent conditions and encoding a protein with a helicase activity. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cstringent conditionsxe2x80x9d refer to conditions such as those at a sodium concentration of 15-60 mM, preferably 15-30 mM, and a temperature of 55-70xc2x0 C., preferably 60-70xc2x0 C.
The above-mentioned mutation may be introduced by any one of the known techniques. For this purpose, for example, a commercially available point mutagenesis kit (e.g., xe2x80x9cTAKARA LA PCR in vitro Mutagenesis Kitxe2x80x9d produced by Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.) may be employed.
The protein of the present invention also encompasses a protein comprising an amino acid sequence with at least 70% homology to the amino acid sequence of the above-mentioned protein. The gene encoding such a protein is also encompassed in the gene of the present invention. Examples of such protein and gene include those derived from a mouse and rat.
Once the nucleotide sequence is determined, the desired gene can be prepared by PCR using the primers (e.g., those as shown in SEQ ID NOs: 35 and 36) that are synthesized chemically or based on the determined nucleotide sequence or by hybridization using, as a probe, a DNA fragment having the determined nucleotide sequence.
2. Preparation of Recombinant Vector and Transformant
The recombinant vector of the present invention can be prepared by integrating the gene into a suitable vector. The transformant of the present invention can be prepared by introducing the recombinant vector DNA into a host compatible with a vector which is used for the preparation of the recombinant vector.
The gene is introduced in the purified form into a restriction site or a multi-cloning site of a suitable vector to give a recombinant vector, which recombinant vector is then used to transform a host cell.
The vector DNA into which the DNA fragment is introduced is not particularly limited, and any one may be used provided that it can be replicated in the host cell, such as plasmid DNA, phage DNA and the like. Examples of the plasmid DNA include plasmid pUC118 (Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.), pUC119 (Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.), pBluescript SK+(Stratagene) and pGEM-T (Promega). Examples of the phage DNA include M13mp18 and M13mp19.
The host is not particularly limited provided that it can express the gene of interest, and may be either a eukaryotic or prokaryotic cell. Examples of the host include bacteria (e.g., E. coli, Bacillus subtilis), yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and animal cells (e.g., COS cell, CHO cell).
When a bacterium such as E. coli is used as the host, it is preferable that the recombinant vector of the present invention be capable of autonomous replication and, at the same time, have a constitution comprising a promoter, the DNA of the present invention and a transcription termination sequence. For example, E. coli may be XL1-Blue (Stratagene) or JM10 (Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.) and the expression vector may be pBTrp2. The promoter may be of any type provided that it can be expressed in a host (e.g., E. coli). Examples of such a promoter include trp promoter, lac promoter, PL promoter and PR promoter which are derived from E. coli and phages.
In the present invention, the transformation can be performed by, for example, the method by Hanahan (Techniques for Transformation of E. coli In DNA Cloning, vol.1, Glover, D. M. ed., pp.109-136, IRL Press, 1985).
When yeast is used as the host, the expression vector may be YEp13 or YCp50, and the promoter may be gal 1 promoter or gal 10 promoter. The introduction of the recombinant vector into the yeast may be performed by electroporation method (Methods. Enzymol., 194, pp.182-187, 1990), spheroplast method (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84, pp.1929-1933, 1978), lithium acetate method (J. Bacteriol., 153, 163-168, 1983), or the like.
When an animal cell is used as the host, the expression vector may be pcDNAI and pcDNAI/Amp (Invitrogen). The introduction of the recombinant vector into the animal cell may be performed by electroporation method, calcium phosphate precipitation method or the like.
For example, when a plasmid DNA is used as a vector DNA and an EcoRI DNA fragment is inserted thereinto, the plasmid DNA may be previously digested with a restriction enzyme EcoRI (NEB). The digested vector DNA may be mixed with the DNA fragment of interest, and then T4 DNA ligase (Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.), for example, may be reacted with the mixture, thereby giving a recombinant vector.
The screening of the transformant strain may be performed by colony hybridization using, as a probe, a DNA fragment containing a portion of the gene of interest, or by PCR method using a 5xe2x80x2 primer (FP; forward primer) synthesized based on the nucleotide sequence of the gene of interest and a 3xe2x80x2 primer (RP; reverse primer) synthesized based on the nucleotide sequence of DNA complementary to the gene of interest, and selecting colonies containing the gene of interest.
3. Production of Protein (Polypeptide) Encoded by Human RecQ4 Gene
The transformant containing the recombinant vector prepared as mentioned above is cultured to produce the protein of the present invention. The culture method may be a conventional solid culture method. However, a liquid culture method is preferably employed for this purpose.
The culture medium used for culturing the transformant may be, for example, one comprising at least one nitrogen source (e.g., yeast extract, peptone, meat extract), which is supplemented with at least one inorganic salt (e.g., dipostassium hydrogenphosphate, magnesium sulfate, iron(II) chloride) and optionally other additive(s) (e.g., a carbohydrate source, an antibiotic, a vitamin) in an appropriate manner. If necessary, IPTG or the like may also be added to the culture medium to induce the expression of the gene. The culture medium is initially adjusted to pH 7.2-7.4, and the culture is usually performed at 36-38xc2x0 C., preferably about 37xc2x0 C., for 14-20 hours by aerated spinner culture method, shaking culture method or the like.
After the culture is completed, the protein of the present invention may be collected from the culture by a conventional protein purification method as follows.
The cells are disrupted by lytic treatment with an enzyme (e.g., lysozyme), ultrasonic disruption treatment, mechanical disruption treatment or the like, thereby releasing the protein encoded by the gene of the present invention from the cells. Then, insoluble matters are removed from the solution by filtration, centrifugation or the like to give a crude protein solution.
The protein may be purified from the crude protein solution by a conventional protein purification method. As such a method, for example, salting out with ammonium sulfate, ion exchange chromatography, hydrophobic chromatography, gel filtration chromatography, affinity chromatography, electrophoresis or the like may be employed singly or in combination.
4. Production of Monoclonal Antibody
The monoclonal antibody specific to the protein encoded by human RecQ4 gene of the present invention may be produced as follows.
(1) Preparation of Antigen
The protein prepared as described in Section 3 above is dissolved in a buffer solution, and an adjuvant is then added thereto. As such an adjuvant, commercially available Freund""s complete or incomplete adjuvant or the like may be used singly or in the mixed form.
(2) Immunization and Isolation of Antibody-producing Cells
The immunogen prepared as described above is administered to a mammalian animal (e.g., rat, mouse). A single dose of the antigen used for the immunization may be 10-500 xcexcg per animal. The animal may be immunized by injecting the antigen intravenously, subcutaneously or intraperioneally. The interval of the immunization is not particularly limited, and the immunization may be performed at intervals of several days to several weeks, preferably 1-3 weeks, for 2-5 times, preferably 3-4 times. Two to seven days, preferably four to five days, after the final immunization, antibody-producing cells are isolated. Such antibody-producing cells may be spleen cells, lymph node cells, peripheral blood cells, and preferably spleen cells or localized lymph node cells.
(3) Cell Fusion
The myeloma cells used for cell fusion with the antibody-producing cells may be of a usually commonly available established cell line of an animal (e.g., mouse). The cell line used is preferably one having drug selectivity, and incapable of surviving in a selective medium (HAT medium; comprising hypoxantine, aminopterin and thymidine) in its non-fused form but capable of surviving in such a selective medium only in its fused form with an antibody-producing cell. Specific examples of the myeloma cell include mouse myeloma cell line such as P3U-1 (Dainippon Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) and P3xc3x9763Ag8.653 The myeloma cells are then fused with the antibody-producing cells. The cell fusion may be performed by mixing the antibody-producing cells with the myeloma cells at a ratio of 100-500 cells of the antibody-producing cells per 1 myeloma cell, for example, by mixing equivalent volumes of a culture medium containing 108 cells/ml of the antibody-producing cells and a culture medium containing 2xc3x97105 cells/ml of the myeloma cells, and the mixture is then subjected to fusion reaction in the presence of a fusion promoting agent. For promoting the cell fusion, polyethylene glycol with a mean molecular weight of 1,500 daltons or the like may be used. Alternatively, a commercially available cell fusion apparatus utilizing electrical stimulation (e.g., electroporation) may be employed to cause the cell fusion of the antibody-producing cells with the myeloma cells.
(4) Screening and Cloning of Hybridomas
The desired hybridomas are screened from the cells after the cell fusion treatment. The screening may be performed by appropriately diluting the cell suspension with RPMI-1640 medium containing fetal bovine serum or the like, inoculating the resultant dilution solution into each well of a microtiter plate in an amount of about 5-10 cells/well, adding a selective medium to each well, and then incubating the plate while appropriately replacing the selective medium in the wells by a fresh one. The desired hybridomas can be obtained as the cells grown about 14 days after the culture is started. The culture supernatant of the grown hybridomas is then screened for the presence of the antibodies of interest. The screening may be performed by a conventional method, and the method is not particularly limited. For example, a portion of the hybridoma-containing culture supernatant may be removed from the individual wells and subjected to screening by enzyme immunoassay (EIA), radio immunoassay (RIA) or the like.
The cloning of the fused cells is then performed by a limiting dilution method or the like to ultimately establish hybridomas which produce monoclonal antibodies.
(5) Collection of Monoclonal Antibodies
As the method for collecting monoclonal antibodies from the above-established hybridomas, a conventional cell culture method or ascites fluid production method may be employed. In the case of a cell culture method, the hybridomas are cultured in a culture medium for animal cells, such as RPMI-1640 medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum, MEM medium or a serum-free medium, under conventional culture conditions (e.g., 37xc2x0 C., 5% CO2) for 10-14 days, and the antibodies can be obtained from the culture supernatant. In the case of an ascites fluid production method, the hybridomas (about 5xc3x97106 cells) are administered intraperitoneally to an animal of the same species as that of the mammal from which the myeloma cells are derived, thereby causing to grow the hybridomas in a large scale. One to two weeks later, the ascites fluid or serum is collected from the animal. In these antibody-collecting methods, if it is required to purify the antibodies, a known method such as salting out with ammonium sulfate, ion exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography or gel chromatography may be employed singly or in combination.
5. Production of Polyclonal Antibodies
(1) Preparation of Antigen
The protein prepared as described in Section 3 above is dissolved in a buffer solution, and then an adjuvant is added thereto. Such an adjuvant may be commercially available Freund""s complete or incomplete adjuvant.
(2) Immunization
The animal used for the immunization may be a rabbit, guinea pig, goat, sheep or the like. In the case of a rabbit, for example, the protein is injected subcutaneously to the foot paw usually at a dose of 100-500 xcexcg together with Freund""s complete adjuvant. Two weeks later, the same dose of the antigen mixed with Freund""s incomplete adjuvant is injected intramuscularly. Additional two weeks later, the intramuscular injection is repeated. One week after the final immunization, a portion of the blood was collected from the ear and determined for the antibody titer by EIA method or the like. When the antibody titer reaches the desired value, the whole blood was collected. However, if the antibody titer is low, the immunization is repeated until the antibody titer reaches the desired value. The antibodies are then purified from the serum by ammonium sulfate fractionation as mentioned in the above-described relevant section for the purification of the monoclonal antibodies.
6. Reagent for Detecting Human RecQ4 Gene and the Protein Encoding the Gene
Human RecQ4 gene has high degree of homology to the causative genes of Bloom""s syndrome and Werner""s syndrome which cause chromosomal instability and induce high frequency carcinogenesis and progeria (FIG. 2), and the high expression of the gene is observed in various human tissues (FIG. 5). Therefore, it can be concluded that the gene is one of genes encoding DNA helicases responsible for the maintenance of the fundamental homeostasis of a living body. Accordingly, the elucidation of the expression control of the gene may be useful for the elucidation of the mechanism of the homeostasis maintenance of a living body, useful for the development of novel drugs for maintaining the fundamental homeostasis of a living body, and useful in the study on the elucidation of the relation with aging. The reagent of the present invention is useful for the detection and diagnosis of diseases cause by the abnormality in genes encoding proteins having helicase activity, including, but not limited to, Bloom""s syndrome and Werner""s syndrome.
When the gene of the present invention is used as a reagent, the hybridization may be performed using an oligonucleotide containing at least a portion of the cloned human RecQ4 gene as a probe, and the detection may be performed by Southern or Northern blotting method. As such an oligonucleotide probe, a DNA probe, an RNA probe or the like may be used.
When the polyclonal or monoclonal antibody to the protein encoded by the gene of the present invention is used as a detection reagent, the detection may be performed by EIA, RIA or Western blotting analysis.
7. Transgenic Animals Having the Gene Introduced therein in the Modified Form such that the Expression Level of the Gene Increases or Decreases
In the present invention, the gene can be artificially modified to increase or decrease the expression level thereof compared to the normal level by causing a mutagenesis (e.g., deletion, substitution, addition, insertion) at a portion of the several sites important for controlling the expression of the gene (e.g., enhancer, promoter, intron).
The mutagenesis may be performed by any one of the known methods. For example, a commercially available point mutagenesis kit (e.g., TAKARA LA PCR in vitro Mutagenesis kit produced by Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.) may be used. The transgenic animal includes, for example, a transgenic mouse and a transgenic rat. The vector containing the mutagenized gene may be a vector capable of over-expression of RecQ4 genes from different animal species or a vector capable of suppressing the expression of such RecQ4 genes. In either case, a drug-resistance gene (e.g., a neomycin-resistance gene) is ligated to the gene for the positive selection.
The introduction of the gene may be performed by directly injecting the DNA into fertilized eggs. However, it is preferable to utilize embryonic stem (ES) cells to achieve the efficient introduction of the gene, because ES cells have such an advantage that they can be cultured and they can develop mice or the like therefrom. The ES cells may be TT2 cells (Shin-ichi AIZAWA, xe2x80x9cGene Targetingxe2x80x9d, 1995, Yodosha). For example, the vector DNA containing murine RecQ4 gene is introduced into ES cells by electroporation, and positive clones are selected with neomycin, thereby giving mutant ES cells of interest. The mutant ES cells are then injected to blastcysts or 8-celled embryos through a capillary or the like. The blastcysts or 8-celled embryos may be implanted direct into the oviduct of a foster parent. Alternatively, they may be developed to the blastocyst stage and then implanted to the uterus of a foster parent. Among the progenies bred from the foster parent, chimeras are selected. The animals with high contribution to the chimeras have high possibility of animals of the germ line of the chimeras. Whether an animal is a chimera of the germ line of this chimera can be determined by mating the animal with a normal (i.e., wild-type) one. The mating of the germ line of the chimera with a normal one results in the production of heterozygotes, and the mating between the heterozugotes results in the production of homozygotes.
8. Knockout Mouse
The knockout mouse of the present invention is prepared by treating a mouse so that the function of murine RecQ4 gene is lost. The method for the treatment is described below.
A genomic DNA containing murine RecQ4 gene is prepared from the genomic DNA from a murine ES cell by PCR or from a genomic library. A neo-resistance gene is introduced into any one of the exons of the genomic DNA to construct a vector. This procedure results in the disruption of the function of the exon. At the same time, a thymidine kinase (tk) gene or a diphtheria toxin (DT) gene is also introduced into the vector for the negative selection. The vector DNA is introduced into ES cells by electroporation. The cells are then cultured in the presence of neomycin for the selection of positive clones or a nucleic acid analogue FIAU (fluoroiodoadenosyluracil) or diphtheria toxin for the selection of negative clones. By this procedure, diphtheria toxin-sensitive cells in which non-homologous recombination occurs and G418-sensitive cells in which no recombination occurs are removed out, and only cells in which homologous recombination occurs are remained. In the cells in which homologous recombination occurs, the gene containing the disrupted exon undergoes knockout. The resulted cells are injected into murine blastcysts or 8-celled embryos. Thereafter, the same procedures as for the preparation of the transgenic animal are performed to produce knockout mice.